Jun152019

Noah Kahan – Cynic Piano & Ukulele Chord Progression

ChordsF Dm Bb C

KeyKeyCapo

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This is the chord progression of Cynic by Noah Kahan on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar and Keyboard.

[Intro]
F

[Verse 1]
F
I’d change my name to find a space to get some rest
Dm
I’d give my face to find a place to put my head
Bb
But this is who we are, there’s no glamor to it

[Verse 2]
F
I board the plane and sleep my way to LAX
Dm
I cried at the rain, but there’s no way that I’m depressed
Bb F C
Oh, if I think too hard, I’m scared I might lose it

[Pre-Chorus]
Bb F C
(Oh) The Hollywood sign don’t catch my eye much anymore
Bb F C Bb F C
(Oh-oh-ooh) Leave it to time to make me feel I’m getting old
Bb
I’m living with it
F C
Give me the open mind that I had before

[Chorus]
Bb F C
(Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh) I’m living with it
Bb F C
(Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh) I’m living with it
Bb F C
(Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh) Oh, I’m a cynic
Bb F C
(Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh) Give me the open mind that I had before

[Verse 3]
F
They sense the blame that comes with failure and success
Dm
Would it make me famous if I break down in the press
Bb F C
And give them what they want, there’s no effort to it

[Verse 4]
F
I miss the days when one was better than the last
Dm
I miss the taste of growing pains I knew would pass
Bb F C
Oh, I miss those thoughts and that fear of losing

How to play Cynic: key, chords and progression

Cynic by Noah Kahan sits in F major (one flat: B♭), and you need 4 chords to play it: F, Dm, Bb and C.

The progression the song keeps returning to is Bb – F – C – Bb (IV – I – V – IV in F major). In solfa, that is fah – doh – soh – fah. Learn these 4 changes first and most of the song falls into place.

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 3rd fret and play the shapes D, Bm, G, A (75% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 50% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.